Abby's Paradise
by Brunette.Betty
Summary: Abby is being swallowed by her life, past and unknown future. Fleeing from her life, she starts anew. Little did she know, she's playing into a destiny she never could have imagined.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Running away, it s what I do best. It s what I m doing at the moment. Staring out a bus window, the miles flashing by but I m not really seeing a thing. I m in many other places than here, so far away. I boarded the bus in Miami at around 4:45pm. I knew no one would try to stop me but I couldn t stop looking over my shoulder every step of the way to the bus station. I almost expected Caleb, my newly ex-boyfriend, to jump out of every shadow. He was being held, against his will, at a local hospital under psychiatric evaluation. This was my doing. It was the only way I could get away. I wouldn t normally have people committed against their will but drastic times call for drastic measures. I think that s the old saying, anyway.

My family is long gone. As it so worked out both my mom and dad were only children, as was I. They passed when I was 12. Car accident. Tragic. That s the word people always use when they speak about it. Both grandparents, long gone. As far as friends, well, I was always a bit of an outcast. Not a loner or a loser somewhere in between I d say. I never let people get close. I had aquaintences but certainly no one I d trust with my future location.

Every summer, my parents would take me to a town in northern Michigan called Paradise . It was just that. I had summers full of blue water, toasted marshmellows and the smell of mosquito spray. My heaven. When I made the decision to leave, in my heart, I knew there was no place I d rather go. A part of me expected my parents to be there waiting for me. It was heaven, after all unfortunately that s not what I found when I exited the bus a day later.

Wow , I breathed as I took the scene. People exiting the bus pushed past me in annoyance. It was nothing like I remembered. Was I in the right place? I rushed through the crowd, people greeting their families, hugging their friends. My parents weren t here. Part of me was disappointed.

I m sorry? I said to the guy behind the counter, who I was clearly interrupting. He didn t look up. Yep he said. Not really sure if he was clearing me to ask a question or agreeing with me. I, uh what city is this? I exhaled hard, feeling dumb. The guy looked up, a little amused. He smiled as he answered, It doesn t get much better than this. This is Paradise. He shook his head a little and went back to his work. I took a few steps away as my mind raced. I guess I was really trying to grasp that I really had spent all my money coming here, that I really had no one.

I threw my hands down and walked back out to the bus to get my lugguage. I brought a bike and two giant knap sacks. I mean huge. I m stronger than I look though. I strapped the giant bags to my back and walked my bike to the front of the bus station and mounted it. I felt eyes burning into me. I peddled as fast as I could. I had to scout before sunset. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 I peddled down the side of a thin highway road. It was getting dusky and the air was moist. It was definitely going to be a chilly night for August. Traffic was getting a bit heavier which made it hard for me to diappear into the woods without anyone seeing. The second I saw a lease in the flow of cars, I veared off the road into the rough ground of the surrounding forrest. The farther in I got, the darker it became. It calmed me.

There was a certain spot I was looking for. A spot I hoped I wasn t just imaging to remember. My thighs were hurting so badly that I was about to stop and rest when I saw the mouth of the cave through a break in the branches. Just like I remembered. Outside of the cave was a small waterfall that emptied into a small stream. It was so beautiful. I felt at home.

I walked my bike inside the mouth of the cave and rested it up against a side. I dropped both my bags to the ground. I knelt down beside one and unzipped it. After digging around for a bit, I found what I was looking for, a maglite flashlight. The big, heavy kind that could double as a weapon if needed. I turned it on and began deeper into the cave. It was a little wet but very roomy and deep. It didn t appear that there were any animals living in there, at least none that were there at the moment. That could be an issue later on but I was too tired to care.

I walked back out to my bags and dragged them to the back of the cave which was several yards in and to the right. I opened the first sack completely and dumped the contents onto the ground. What came out was my Eureka Copper Canyon Cabin Tent. It took up almost an entire sack but it was essential. It took me about 15 minutes to get it all set up including a twin size air matress. Nothing but luxury here. No but really, I m not one to fool myself into thinking I am one with nature. I really needed modern convenience. I was doing the best I could.

Since everything was wet outside, a fire wasn t going to happen. I climbed inside my tent and laid down. My stomach growled but I was too tired to grab food from my second sack. I felt out of control. I felt like my heart could just stop beating and I could just stop existing. It was a bizzaare feeling but sleep soon took those thoughts from me and replaced them with strange dreams I wouldn t remember the next day. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 It was the kind of sleep where you don t wake up at all. Not for noise, not to roll over. The kind of sleep where if you re randomly sleeping in a cave in northern Michigan, you d be surprised as hell when you woke up and realized that that s exactly where you were. I dug under the blankets, wide awake now, looking for my cell phone. It was still kind of dark outside, very early morning. It was pretty warm inside my tent but I d used it enough to know that as soon as I unzipped it, the real weather would hit me. I wasn t ready for cold, which I knew was waiting beyond my zipper.

4 missed calls

2 voicemails

I was paranoid enough to know I was going to have to change my number. I wouldn t put hunting me down like a dog past Caleb. I checked the time, which is why I looked at my phone to begin with and saw it was 4:24am. I d slept a pretty long time. I put my phone back under the blanket. I didn t have to check my call log or voicemail to know it was Caleb. The thought stressed me out. I didn t want to hear it.

I sat up and felt my stomach growling harder than last night. I reached towards my feet and pulled a sack up towards me. I packed about a million granola bars. Granola bars are pretty much the best. They re fast, nutrious, delicious and cheap. I ate 3 and laid back down. I set off into more sleep with a little something in my belly.

The light woke me up this time. I paniced when I thought of how late it could be. I definitely had lots on my agenda today and my situation couldn t survive with any screw ups. I grabbed my phone, 3 more missed calls and one more voicemail. The time was 7:43. Thank god.

I stood up and stretched. Grabbed a smaller bag out of one of my sacks and grabbed a towel. I was going to attempt a stream bath. This was definitely going to suck but I m a big girl. I d rather freeze than smell. Besides, people don t hire people who stink. It s good sense.

The water was pretty cold but not winter cold. Steam bathing isn t as glamorous as the movie make it seem. Some bathing beauty someone sees from afar. I fell a couple times. The rocks were slippery. It was better than I expected though. I washed my hair and other important areas that don t need to be named and quickly ran back into the cave. Scared of the animals, scared of people spotting me. Once I got back into my tent I got right back under the covers to thaw. My hair was going to be crazy but that s where braided pig tails come in. They can hide the crazies.

I gave my hair some time to dry before I braided it and got dressed for the day. I ate another granola bar and then I packed everything as far back and right as I could and grabbed my bike. It was 9:30am and places were probably starting to open. Time to find a job. One step at a time I would pull myself out of this hole. I would have a home someday, a family. One day, I won t be a girl living in a cave. One can only hope. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 I rode up and down the main strip in Paradise. It was pretty tiny. I guess everything seems bigger when you re little. Seeing how little opportunity there was for employment made me quite nervous. I was struggling to keep any scrap of positivity I could. I was clinging hard.

I d applied to a couple of places. It was the same at every place I went. We aren t hiring at the moment, but we ll hold your application for 90 days. I filled them all out with a smile on my face. A smile that fell as soon as I was alone. I had to conserve my positivity before it ran out.

I walked into a liquor store/market to apply. There were only a couple of customers and one man behind a register. I pulled my smile back out and approached him. Hi, I don t suppose you re hiring, are you? His old eyes crinkled with a relaxed smile. We might be. he replied. He dug under the counter for a moment, talking to himself so softly that I couldn t make out words. He returned with a yellowed sheet of paper and a pen and slid them both towards me. I dipped my head a little bit as I stepped forward and took the pen into hand and started to work on the application. I could feel his eyes on me.

From Florida, eh? You re not a tourist are ya? You live here now? he asked. I blushed crimson hoping he wouldn t dig too deeply. I am from Florida, originally. I admitted. My parents had some roots here, I thought I d put some down, too. We used to come here every summer. I answered. He considered this and looked at me hard, almost as if he thought he might be able to remember me out of the thousands of tourists he s encountered in his time. It made me smile. Well, we re pleased to have ya . he paused and tried reading my application upside down again. He cocked his head to the side, Abigail .Heron . He smiled back. Just call me Abby I said. You can call me Hank. he offered.

A minute or two longer I was done. I handed him the application and pen. He immediately started going over it even though he d read every word I was wrote as I wrote it. He hmmm d .and mmmhmmm d a few times, rubbing his scruffy, gray chin. Well, it looks pretty good Abby but there s something missing your address. He slid the paper back towards me. I blushed again. I m going to level with you, Hank. I don t have one to give you. I have a temporary residence but it doesn t have an address. Working here would help me obtain one though. Hank stared at me, probably trying to figure out what the hell I meant. What do you mean exactly? I felt the tears swelling in my eyes and boy, was I fighting them back hard. All my emotions rose to the surface and it was the kind of feeling where you could survive like you were in that moment forever but the second you tried to speak a word, your eyes would explode with tears. That s pretty much exactly what happened next.

Oh, now, now. Here take these. Hank said as he handed me a wad of tissue from his pocket. I felt ridiculous. This started our promising but it was going south bad. I couldn t let this go bad. I composed myself and explained Hank, I m starting over. It s one step at a time. I am a good employee. I m honest, I m hardworking and you know I ll be here everyday I don t have any place else to go. He thought about it for a moment. Tell me this. Do you have a roof over your head? I nodded. It wasn t technically a lie. I did have a roof. Alright then, he started, when can you start? I beamed at him. Now!

He let me behind the counter and went into the back for a second and returned with a smock. He tossed it to me and I quickly wrapped the strings around myself once and tied them in the front. This isn t exactly a tough job. You can just watch today, get the idea of what it s like to work here. The next couple of hours, a few customers came and went. I d get a lot of reading done here. Hank showed me the stock room, the employee washroom, the office. He informed me about my 20% employee discount. Gave me a schedule and explained when payday was.

I d been telling Hank a little about life in Florida and about my parents. I hadn t talked about them in ages. It was almost too easy to open up to him. I left out the bad stuff though. Hank told me about his wife, kids and grandkids. As he was telling me about his boat (who I could tell he loves almost as much as he loved his wife), the bell on the front door rang and both our heads turned to look at once. Gage! Come meet Abby. Abby, this is my grandson, Gage. My shifts about up. Gage comes in from 2pm til close, which is usually around 10:30pm. I think you could probably benefit from a couple more hours of training before you start tomorrow. Show her the ropes, Gage.

Gage stuck his hand towards me and said Nice to meet ya. I shook his hand and sat back down. He walked into the back and Hank said his goodbye to me. When Gage came back out he was tying his smock. Where d Pops go? he asked. He left for the day. I answered.

Does he know you? he asked. He came and sat on a stool next to me.

Uhm, no. I came in applied earlier today and he graciously offered me a job. I smiled. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 The later it got, the stream of customers coming in and out thickened. It ll die down again in about 30 minutes. Gage told me as he checked the customer out. I was taking Hanks advice to heart and was definitely paying attention to the process. I didn t have a lot of room for error and I kinda didn t want to let Hank down. I really liked him.

When the store was once again empty, we sat in a semi-awkward silence. Remember, I m not exactly the most social person, I was struggling to find something to say but Gage spoke first.

So, how old are you? he asked. It was a safe question.

I m 18, you? I inquired back.

Same. Where are you from? he wondered. This question wasn t quite as safe.

Florida. I replied. I rubbed my hands, palms down, against my pants. It was a nervous habit but also served to wipe the sweat from my palms. Embarrassing.

Why? , he asked.

I needed a change. I replied, trying not to be rude.

He chuckled.

What? I asked.

It s nothing really. Most people turn 18 and go some place exotic or glamorous, like California or Florida he pointed at me when he said the last part. you came here. , he smiled and chuckled again.

I smiled back.

I craved the simple life! I said innocently.

What did your parents think? he asked smiling.

They died a few years back. My palms started sweating again. I could see the shock and regret on his face but stopped him before he could start.

It s okay, you didn t know. It was a car accident. It s fine. I was used to saying this.

Of course it s not fine. he said, his voice low. He reached over and squeezed my knee.

I couldn t bring my eyes to meet his.

Who did you leave behind in Florida then? he asked.

I looked up, trying to reabsorb the tears that had accumlated in my eyes.

It s a little complicated. I had a boyfriend and that was pretty much it. I confessed.

That s it? he confirmed.

That s it. I giggled uncomfortably. I felt like he was feeling sorry for me.

The phone in my pocket started to vibrate. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I pulled it out as a customer came walking in. I excused myself from Gage and walked into the back.

Hello? , I answered

Oh my god, Abby, what the hell is going on? Calebs usually controlled emotions and voice were betraying him.

Please don t call me anymore, Caleb I whispered.

Where are you? he demanded.

I can t tell you that. , was my reply. I m not coming back. Please don t call me anymore. I won t answer again. I slapped my phone shut and stared at it like I was waiting for it to yell at me or something. I felt guilty. I wanted to throw the phone in the garbage. My paranoia started flaring up and I wondered if I could be tracked with my phone. I started feeling crazy.

That s something Caleb and I fought about a lot. The fact that I m crazy. After my parents passed, I was in and out of psychiatric hospitals. When I wasn t at a hospital, I stayed with a foster family. I have strange worries. Paranoia. I question everything. It drove his parents crazy, too. I was not the future daughter-in-law they envisioned. I always felt dirty around them. They hated me. They always wondered when he d outgrow me. This wasn t my paranoia flaring up, they asked him this in front of me like I couldn t hear them. He was a lot like them in many ways, it was his biggest fault. I wondered in that moment, how much like my parents was I?

After I calmed down and could think logically again for a moment, I decided I had to keep the phone, at least for now. I turned to head back to the front of the store and I saw Gage standing in the doorway. It s closing time. he said, very matter of factly. I nodded and walked passed him to help close everything down. I flipped the open sign to read closed . Wow it s really raining I observed. Gage nodded. I swept while Gage cleaned the class over the deli. I mopped while he counted the cash drawer. Closing takes a lot longer when I m alone , he laughed. He seemed a little looser now. Yeah, yeah, make the new girl do all the hard labor! I teased. He feigned a look of surprise.

We met at the front door and he shut all the lights out but one. He leaned in close to me, very slowly reaching passed me and my breath caught in my throat. He laughed and flipped the last light switch off, which of course, was located behind me. I giggled nervously and play pushed him. We got outside and he locked up. A few feet from the door stood my bike. I grabbed the handle bars and gave Gage a casual wave. See ya tomorrow! I had to yell a little, the rain was loud.

He grabbed my arm and yelled Do you want a ride home?

Truth be told, a ride would have been awesome but I knew there was no home to drop me off at.

No, I m good, really! I love the rain! , I laughed. He gave me a sideways glace, shrugged and waved.

I waited for him to pull off before I tried riding my bike. I made it to the road and the mud was so bad, I had to walk it. It was cold. Tonight was going to suck but at least I knew I had a job.

What I didn t know was that Gage was going to go home and google me. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Gage POV

I pulled out of the parking lot and stared at her in my rearview. She wasn t moving. I hit the first corner and made a right. I pulled into the first driveway and turned around. WIth my headlights off, I pulled back into view of the store.

I could see her fainty through the rain soaked windows trying to ride her bike. I already knew that wasn t going to happen on these streets and I didn t know why but it made my stomach turn. She stopped trying to ride it and started to walk it. She walked right past my truck and didn t notice. I waited til she was a bit away before I got out to follow her. This was a tiny town but that didn t mean things were safe. I pulled the hood of my hoodie over my head and was pretty sure if she turned around, I d be basically invisible to her.

As we were walking, that feeling in my stomach grew stronger. I don t know if it was because of what we talked about tonight, the phone call I overheard or even just now, her slight figure making its way through the mud, hunched over against the elements but something made me want to shelter her. I knew she must be freezing. She wouldn t take my ride, the least I could do was make sure she got home okay. About 15 minutes later, she veared off the road and I followed. She was really struggling to get her bike through the trees and mud. I wanted to help her but I knew that would scare her away. She wasn t from around here, she didn t have a reason to feel afraid of me like everyone else in this damn town. Maybe that s what it was about her.

She stopped walking and so did I. I held my breath while she looked around her. She didn t see me but she left her bike laying up against a tree. She entered the mouth of a cave. At this point, I was definitely confused. A couple minutes later, a faint light came from inside the cave and I moved my position to get a better look. Inside the cave was a giant tent and a good deal of belongings. Abby was bent over going through a bag. She stood back up and removed her shirt and started wringing it out. I gasped. I felt like a peeping tom but this wasn t a normal situation. I wasn t gazing into my neighbors window for a thrill. This was a little different. Different or not, when she moved to remove her bra, I looked away. I counted to 30 and turned back. She d put a top and new pants on.

Clearly this is why she didn t want a ride home. I didn t know what to do, I couldn t just let her sleep in a cave but I really didn t see how I had any choice in the matter. She was sitting on a blanket on the cave floor, hugging her legs. She seemed safe for now I began the walk back to my truck.

It took me 1/2 the time to get back to my truck. Probably because I wasn t waiting for someone to haul a bike through the mud but more because I knew I had a few things I wanted to take care of. First, I needed to head home.

My house sat at the top of a hill on a street named after my family, Allen. My Pops lived at the bottom of the hill and the be honest, 40% of the town was related to us, most kept their distance. I turned my headlights off and made it up the hill despire the mud. I got inside and took my shoes off, they were destroyed and realized the mud went up to my knees. I had to change my pants, too. I took extra care to be as quiet as I could so I wouldn t wake anyone and made it to my room. I hit the power button on my laptop and ran back downstairs while I waited for it to power on and grabbed a bite to eat. Once back in my room again, I sat down and opened up and typed abigail heron into the search bar.

The third page that came up was a Facebook page. I clicked on that. She only shared certain info unfortunately but the picture was definitely her. She had the same sad eyes. The page said she was in a relationship with someone named Caleb Collins . I clicked on his page. He shared everything maybe too much. I checked the wall and it was chaos. This explained a lot. I went through all of the info he had available, knowing I shouldn t care and not caring why I did. I closed the laptop and grabbed a new hoodie. I grabbed a backpack and loaded a few things I might need. I found my keys and headed back outside. I was nervous that my truck starting would wake someone up but I waited a few seconds after it started and no lights came on. I went on my way . 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Abby POV

I stayed awake as long as I could so I didn t have to go to bed with wet hair. I can t stand that. According to my cell, it was close to midnight and I figured that was late enough. I brought the electric lantern into my tent and grabbed a book out of one of my sacks. I stopped for a second and reached back inside. Granola bar, perfect.

I read a little bit and ate the granola bar. My eyelids were heavy. I reached over and turned the lantern off and was asleep almost immediately.

I woke to the sun. More accurately, I woke to the heat. It was hot and humid. It felt so good. I got up and grabbed my supplies and made my way out to the stream. It was a little easier today but the water was still pretty cold. I felt upbeat though. I didn t wash my hair because to honest, I was tired of wet hair. I missed my blow drier terribly. I put my unruly hair into a messy ponytail on top of my head. Even though it was definitely going to be hot today, I grabbed warmer clothes than yesterday. I put on thick black cargo pants and a thick tshirt. I still wore flip flops. They survived the night before, they could survive anything. I debated bringing a sweater and decided for it. I grabbed a smaller bag from one of the large sacks and threw a couple things into it.

I got my bike from where I left it the night before and started walking it to the road. The tires were caked in dried mud, I smiled. Once I reached the road, I hopped on and got a good speed going. The wind and the sun played on my skin and it felt wonderful. My situation wasn t great but I felt for the first time in so long, no worries. I felt clear headed. My stomach growled loudly then and I remembered a diner on the main strip that I saw yesterday. I was going to treat myself to breakfast.

I grabbed my phone from my pocket and saw that it was 10:24am. I didn t have to be to work til noon. I had plenty of time. I ignored the missed calls and voicemails and stuck the phone back in my pocket. When I got to the diner and stepped inside, I was greeted by a girl a little older than me. She smiled and told me to pick a seat. I picked one up front where I could see the store across the street. The waitress, who smiled and informed me her name was Mary, poured me a cup of steaming coffee as the bell on the side door rang. I looked over and saw Gage hesitating in the door. I smiled at him and waved him over. He looked like hell.

Hey! , I said, surprised at my own tone.

He smiled back and slid into my booth.

Rough night? I asked.

He raised his eyebrows and laughed. You have no idea.

A girl, I assumed. Ooookay . , I said, I don t think I want to know!

Mary came back over and poured him a cup of coffee. It reminded me that I also had coffee. I reached for the creamer and sugar and began pouring. Woah! , Gage reached out and grabbed my wrist to make me stop pouring. You re killing it!

Marys head whipped towards us, she was glaring at him. I ignored her.

What are you talking about? Creamer and sugar make coffee better! I was astonished.

No, you ve got it all wrong. They enhance it but not if you drown the flavor. He pushed my mug aside and grabbed his own. He took the creamer and poured just enough to turn the liquid a dark caramel color. I grimaced at him. More , I instructed. He shook his head and reached for the sugar. He poured just a tiny amount. He held my eyes now and began to stir. The creamer making swirls in the coffee. Try this. , he said as he slid the mug towards me. I smirked but picked it up. I blew on it not dropping his gaze. I took a sip.

Okay, so it s good. I didn t want to give him the satisfaction.

Come on, just good? He ran his hands through his hair and I really noticed the circles under his eyes. I grimaced at what might have kept him up. Pushing that imagine from my mind, I pushed the mug back towards him. I think you need this more than I do. I smiled.

Mary came back over, very against her will by the look of it. What can I get you?

I will have hmmm 2 scrambled eggs, 2 pancakes and 2 pieces of bacon. I ordered.

She turned to Gage. You?

He looked at me as if he was deep in thought, biting his lip. Same. he decided.

She wrote it down and turned on her heel. I couldn t make out the look on her face. What s her problem? I whispered, mostly to myself.

Gage must have thought I really wanted an answer because he turned a little red and lowered his eyes a bit. He leaned forward and said If you stick around long enough, you ll notice most people around here consider me a problem. He leaned back in his seat then. I shrugged, relating completely.

We sat in an awkward silence until Mary came out with our food. Conversation returned then between mouthfuls. So, I know you work at the shop what else do you do? I asked.

He finished chewing a big mouthful and answered Really there s not a lot to do around here. He chuckled. Clearly! , I responded with a laugh.

There s stuff to do in the bigger cities. he offered. You askin me on a date? I jokingly said as seductively as possible, followed by a big bite of bacon. He smiled.

I guess I could be. he answered.

I winked, feeling bold, completely not myself. Then I bursted with laughter. He just smiled and stared at me. I know where I want to take you. he said, almost like he was threatening. Oh? , I asked with raised eyebrows.

Mmmhmmm . he said, mischief in his eyes.

He wouldn t tell me where, or even when. Just that eventually, he was going to take me somewhere. I m not going to lie, it made me nervous. I felt like I really liked Gage. He was so genuine. He had a real smile. We finished breakfast and Mary came around with the check. It was $15.97. I grabbed my wallet out of my little bag. He was faster. What are you doing? I spit, trying not to sound angry though that s exactly what I was feeling. He left $5 on the table and got up and paid Mary. I sat and pouted. I crossed my arms. He came back over to the table. Come on, you re going to be late. He was right. I looked up at him and the anger was gone. Just a nice boy, standing in front of me, no intentions, smiling. I couldn t stay angry at that. I later checked my wallet and realized, I only had $13. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Gage POV

I retraced our earlier steps to the spot in the woods where Abby was staying. It took a while to find it this time, I didn t have her to follow in and she had since turned the light off. I decided I d spend the night out in the woods keeping watch. Woods are never safe but they re particularly not safe when you have an angry ex boyfriend posting on Facebook that he s going to track you down. Several of his gross frat boy type friends egged him on. Pathetic.

The rain eventually gave way and despite the amount we received, it was a pretty warm night. I sat with my back against a tree with my hood up. I heard animals come and go, none bothered Abby. I might even have dozed for a few minutes myself but not much. I was up way before her so I saw her sleepily make her way to the stream. She started to strip again. As I watched her peel her layers off, I was deep in thought about how freeing it must be to just undress outside. She clearly had no inclination that anyone might be watching. It was beautiful. However since I didn t want to be the pervert I was feeling like, I broke my gaze and set off for town.

Abby was scheduled to be at work at noon. I wasn t scheduled until 2pm. The plan was to wait outside the store, out of sight, until she was inside. I shook my head as I thought about the things I was going through for this girl.

I stopped by the store to see Pops first. He met me with a smile. No one was as perpetually happy as him. His life had been a full one.

Hey Pops, what s up? I asked.

Oh, not a whole lot. Why are you here so early? , he wondered.

Couldn t sleep , it wasn t a lie.

I bet not. You re wearing different clothes than yesterday but I m sure that s only because you stopped at your house last night before leaving again and not coming back . Pops said casually as he took a sip of his black coffee, not making eye contact. I was really hoping she wasn t that type of girl he continued sipping.

Oh come on, you know I m not like that. She doesn t know I didn t go home last night. I admitted.

Well, this isn t as fun of a story as I thought I was going to get. Pops eyes crinkled as he smiled.

Don t tell her, okay? , I requested as I turned to leave the store. Pops was just too much sometimes. Pops made the motion of zipping his lips. He bent back over his newspaper.

I was watching the direction Abby would be coming from. After a few minutes, I saw her coming over the horizon. The closer she got, I could see she was smiling. Her face was tilted up towards the sun. It was kind of beautiful. I slid around the side of the shop so she wouldn t see me and I saw her park her bike and go inside the diner across from the shop. I hesitated for a moment. I had things I needed to do before work. Part of me wanted to leave but a bigger part was pulling me towards the diner. I hesitated again outside the door, my hand gripping the handle. I argued with myself for a second and before I knew it, I d opened the door. There was nothing left but to step inside.

We ate and laughed. I paid, of course. There was no way I was going to let someone in her position pay for my breakfast, especially with that I was planning. It pissed her off and that kind of made me happy. She could pay me back with dinner sometime after she got on her feet. I would definitely remind her.

I walked her over to the shop and opened the door for her. I didn t follow her in but gave Pops a stern look and took my leave. I ran down the road, not wanting to take my truck to draw attention to myself. It took me around 10 minutes but I found the way easily. I felt incredibly guilty walking inside of her cave. It felt like breaking and entering. I had to get over it. I went inside her tent and saw her lay out. She wasn t as bad off as I d imagined. I went through the bags and saw no food. Granola bars are not food.

I left the cave and jogged back to the strip and got in my truck. I drove almost an hour to the closest Walmart. It wasn t exactly glamorous but if I could make her life a bit easier, it was going to happen. One thing I noticed was the lack of comfort that was her bed. I bought a new bed set, hoping pink was ok. I loaded up the cart with drinking water, potato chips and cookies. It was looking like a child was shopping so I headed to produce and loaded up on some fruit. I bought her a couple books and a couple magazines I hoped she might like. Lastly, I bought her a few pairs of giant fuzzy socks, a couple oversized sweaters and a pair of long johns. I hoped this would make her stay in the cave a little easier. On the way to the checkout, something else caught my eye and I grabbed it. I smiled thinking of her finding the surprises and then this.

I made the drive back and this time I had no choice but to park my truck close to the woods. It took my two trips. As I was unloading everything, I started to wonder if this was a bad idea. What if she freaked out? She might not use this stuff if she doesn t know who it s from but I didn t want to tell her it was from me. What if she thought it was Caleb? I pushed the thought from my head. That wasn t important right now. What was important was getting everything unloaded and put away quickly so I wouldn t be late for work. Pops wouldn t leave Abby alone to run the store yet. I checked my phone for the time just as I laid the final surprise across her freshly made bed and it was 1:46pm. I d be just on time. I ran through woods to my truck and took off.

My heart was pounding and my head was spinning at how different today was than yesterday. This time yesterday, Abby didn t exist to me. I opened the door and the tiny bell jingled. Abby was sitting at the register with the legs crossed. She was hunched over, reading, eerily similar to the way Pop does. I cleared my throat loudly. Her head jerked towards me and her eyes were wide for about half a second. It was cute.

Hello, hello! I said.

Hey. she replied, looking relieved.

Pops had in fact, left her alone to man the store. She didn t sweat it. I guess that s just the kind of person she was. The day went by insanely slow. We didn t talk a whole lot. She kept giving me sideways glances that I didn t know the reason for. With it being the two of us, when 10pm rolled around, she started cleaning. She wanted out of here at 10:30pm exactly. I wondered if she wanted to get away from me. I wondered if someone in town had some in and told her all about me. My face started to get hot and I started to feel embarrassed. She was going to go to the cave and think I was an even bigger creep. I had spied on her and now she was going to know. I touched her things, she would cringe.

At 10:30pm, she grabbed her things and said, Everything s done. I ll see you tomorrow. and exited the store. She didn t give me the chance to say goodbye. I hurried after her though. I shut the lights down and locked up. By the time I got outside she was gone. I started to run up the road towards her cave. I wanted to catch up before she got there. I was just fast enough.

I came up to the view of the cave just as she stepped inside. It was a few seconds before there was light. I heard her speak but I couldn t make out the words. She walked to the mouth of the cave and looked around. She looked upset. She sat down at the mouth of the cave and buried her head in her knees. She rocked back and forth. I took a step out of my hiding spot and another. I took a couple more before I said her name. I didn t want to startle her. Abby . I whispered. No response. Abby . I said louder and her head snapped up, eye wide, almost like earlier at work. It s just me. I told her. She stood up, wiping at her eyes.

What are you doing here? she asked me. There wasn t anger in her voice. There was something for sure, but not anger.

I wanted to make sure you got home safe. I answered. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 Abby POV

I felt incredibly embarrassed. I had planned on being out of this cave before anyone could know I'd ever been in it. Gabe took a step towards me and I took one back in turn. I could feel pity oozing out of his pores and I wanted to disappear.

He took another step towards me and grabbed my wrist before I could step backwards again. His head lowered as he said my name again, this time very low. I fought to make myself meet his eyes but I eventually did. His face was blurred through my tears. His arms wrapped around me just as I felt my legs might give out.

"Abby..." he whispered into my neck. "...just tell me what they told you. Please..." He sounded...wounded. More so than me. I gathered my balance again and pulled away slowly to look at his face once again. I brought my hands to his face and met his eyes, searching for his meaning.

"Who? What are you talking about?" I asked. He stared for a moment. "About my parents...about me. About how happy they were when she found out she was pregnant. About how horrified my father became after I was born and found out what I was that he left us. About how when my mother found out what I was, she was in and out of hospitals and medicated till I was 4. About how...about how she said I was a demon. That I would some day bring the end. Can you believe this?" he smiled through tears. "About how she killed herself because of the monster I am." He broke into a sob. "I'm...I'm not a monster..."

He walked deeper into the cave and sat down. He sat there for an indeterminable amount of time. I couldn't bring myself to say anything. What would you say to that? All I could do was sit down next to him and lean my head against his shoulder. Of course, he wasn't a monster, but clearly his broken family had damaged him. Who among us hasn't been?

"Just so you know..." I offered, "no one said anything to me about you."

"Oh", he sniffled, "then disregard everything I just said. He sniffled again and laughed. I took this as a good sign. I hadn't known him very long but I felt closer to him than I'd felt to anyone since my parents died. I reached over and took his hand into mine and laced our fingers. I hoped it gave him some comfort.

"So, you did all this?" I asked while motioning towards the bounty sitting in my cave. "You don't think it's creepy, do you?" he asked.

I giggled, "Of course not." Creepy, no. It made him sweet and considerate. Two things I wasn't used to. He explained what prompted his presents and while I listened, I blushed.

"There was something I found on my way to the check out, a display they had set up and I was actually hoping we'd get a chance to use it together." He smiled and it warmed my heart. As he took up and walked over to a box and started opening it, my mind was racing. I felt...lucky. Bizarre, is it not? Lucky. Wow. I was broken and fragile. I was all alone and thought I needed no one. Why did I need him now?

He brought over an iron circle and set it on the ground. He loaded it full of stuff that looked like logs and pulled a lighter from his pocket. "Ready for this?" I nodded.

And then, right there inside the mouth of my little cave...fire. He bought me a tiny bon fire. "I figured this could probably come in handy Here..." he said as he tossed a bag of marshmallows at me. I must have been smiling like a little kid. I ran into my tent and brought out my old blanket and laid it on the damp ground. I brought out my new pink one and motioned for Gabe to join me. I sat down and he sat behind me.

After he handed me the skewers, I popped a marshmallow onto the tips of both of ours. He wrapped the pink blanket around us. I handed him his skewer and we sat in comfortable silence together while we roasted our first batch. It felt like, well...it felt like two people who had never been "got" by anyone in their whole lives, had finally found sanctuary within one another. I'm not even sure I can explain it properly.

After we carefully devoured our first marshmallows, I began loading our skewers again. I became very aware of Gabe then. His hands were around my waist. He was breathing into my hair. I was amazed at how alive it made me feel. "Why did you stop?" he asked, snapping me out of the daze. "Sorry, day dream." I laughed, slightly embarrassed.

We sat like that for hours. Talking about music, art, movies...basically things that weren't painful. I don't remember at what point we fell asleep but the next thing I knew, I was waking in my bed, alone. My mind raced momentarily, wondering if I'd only had a very vivid dream, until I sat up and noticed I was wrapped in my new pink blanket. I got up, still in last nights clothes and exited my tent. "Gabe?" I tried not to yell. "Gabe?" I got a little louder.

"Hey!" he yelled from a few yards away, giant smile on his face. "You weren't supposed to be up yet!" I felt relief and walked to meet him. He was carrying something. "What's that?" I asked.

"Breakfast, of course. I got a call from Pops about an hour ago. This thing between you and I has him baffled. I have to admit, he's a bit more observant than I gave him credit for." he laughed. "Anyway, he wanted to talk so I met him at his house to talk. Ergo, the breakfast."

"...and change of clothes." I laughed as I started in on the food. I was eating better living in a cave than I did back in Florida, I thought to myself with a smile. He brushed my cheek with the back of a finger just as my cell started to ring. Both of our heads snapped towards it.


End file.
